


Barely Breathing

by hidingmyobsession



Category: The Night Manager (TV), Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, tom hiddleston - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 19:12:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14817230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hidingmyobsession/pseuds/hidingmyobsession
Summary: Three years after Richard Roper’s arrest, Jonathan Pine and Jed Marshall still have a long distance relationship. Returning to his post as a Night Manager in England at the Draycott Hotel, he accepts her wishes to remain in New York. After an argument, he stops hearing from her for two weeks. When a new worker named Alexa comes to work at the hotel, she reveals she is not who she is and that she works with Angela Burr. Dragging Pine back into the fray, the three must make a search for Billy, who has been kidnapped.





	Barely Breathing

The beige colored walls of the Draycott’s lobby were only slightly inviting as I entered the room, a steaming cup of tea in one hand and my cell phone in the other. I’d normally hear from Jed before my shifts at the hotel but for the past week, I’d not heard anything. We’d been struggling with the distance of our relationship for quite some time; her needing to be in New York with her son and me needing to remain in England should my name come up in any documents regarding Richard Roper’s case. The case, although three years old, was still high. People were popping around with ties to Roper’s cause, being that they believed in the selling of high grade weapons or that they just wanted to get close to the people so they could use the weapons themselves. His influence was still high and Angela Burr as well as myself truly didn’t know if he was killed back in Cairo, we’d just hoped he was. 

I stepped past the front desk where the day manager was taking a phone call and walked down the narrow corridor to my office. The heavy mahogany door swung slowly shut behind me and I walked over to my desk to turn on my computer and get ready for the night. I tried calling Jed and left a few more voicemails while finishing my tea before deciding that I needed to start getting myself in a presentable state. The wardrobe which was the same mahogany as the door held a number of my suits that I’d kept here for my work. A manager of a hotel must consistently look professional. I chose a blue straight suit with a white button up to go underneath and some black shoes and a tie to complete. I got dressed rather quickly and headed out to the front desk to meet with the day manager to catch up. 

Oliver Hudson was a short, stubby man who oftentimes needed a step stool to reach some of the higher room keys on the wall. What he lacked in height, he made up for in personality. He was adored at the Draycott; the staff and the visitors always enjoyed him. His laughter was boisterous, his joking nature was lighthearted and fun and his work ethic was always on par. We’d always gotten on well since my arrival and trusted one another with many of the decisions at the hotel. I approached the balding man who was looking through papers, his glasses slipping down the brim of his nose. He closed the folder and turned, a sad smile covering his features. 

“Nothing from Jed, eh?” He sighed, taking his glasses off and placing them in his suit pocket behind his handkerchief. 

Taking my cell phone out of my pocket and looking at the screen, I shook my head before placing it towards the back of the desk where it would be out of view. “Nothing, sadly. I didn’t think our argument was this bad.” I rubbed the back of my neck before shaking my head. “We’ve never gone this long without talking.” 

Oliver nodded and reached up to place a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Women are women, Jonathan. Give her some time to breathe. Space does wonders!” He suggested, his boisterous laugh coming through to make me smile a bit. 

I tilted my head towards the manila folder on the desk next to him, my hands going to my pockets. “Anything I should know about?” I questioned. He handed me the folder and I looked through the pages. A resumé and application for a young concierge which Oliver had already approved. 

“I know we normally make these decisions together, but…” he hesitated. “the woman was new in London and was pretty desperate. Her sources all check out and she’ll be starting with you tonight.” Oliver nodded, bid me his goodnight and went to clock out. 

I studied the files and her resumé. Alexa Royce was from Brighton, thirty years old and had recently moved to London to pursue bigger things. Her papers said she was a college student with a major in theater and literature, and had hoped the night shifts would be applicable for her rough daytime schedule. Her photo was a typical headshot. She wore thick rimmed glasses and had wavy ginger hair that fell over her shoulders, her eyes were a light brown and her face was peppered with faint freckles. Her photo was inviting and I could only imagine that Oliver felt a good vibe from her when she was here for the interview. I’d have to simply get to know her myself, but I trusted my partners judgment. 

The Draycott at night was a quiet place. Many people didn’t need much at night. Sometimes, a visitor would come in late after a night out on the town; most of the time with someone who was not staying with us. It was a rarity that I needed to go to another room to handle a situation. I stayed at the main desk most of the time to put through reservations, collect payments, schedule room services and cab pickups. The concierge’s and hall staff handled everything else quite nicely. 

Within a half hour of my shift starting, the woman from the interview papers walked in. She was a medium height, wore her glasses and had her hair down and over her shoulders. She looked almost exactly like her photo. Her bag behind her was a backpack which looked to be filled with some books and had a metal water bottle in the side pocket. Her eyes were glued to her cell phone as she approached the front desk and looked up, her light eyes meeting mine. 

“Mister… Pine?” She questioned, her mouth squinting up when she asked. Her accent was soft, but you could tell she was adapting to the London accent quite quickly.

I walked around the desk and held out my hand to her. “Yes, Miss Royce, I’m assuming.” I nodded and she smiled, her freckles more apparent now that I was closer. 

She placed her hair behind her ear after I had let her hand go and nodded. “That’s me! I spoke to a Mister Hudson,” she began, her eyes looking around quickly. “He told me I could start as soon as you needed. I didn’t know if you needed me tonight but I wanted to introduce myself.” Miss Royce smiled and looked around again. “And I needed to pick up my uniform.”

I let out a laugh and nodded my head again. “Tonight would be lovely. We’re normally short handed anyways.” I lied, knowing full well we weren’t. “Come this way and I’ll show you to a locker room where you can put your things and change.” I motioned for her to follow me and we walked down the same hallway to my office. Instead of continuing straight, we turned down a service staircase that led to the changing rooms and the kitchens. 

This was one of the less glamorous sections of the Draycott. I never found it fair that while myself and Oliver had a nice office and changing spaces, the cleaning and cooking staff had a bleak, dimly lit corridor. When I turned back to Miss Royce to make sure she was following behind me, she seemed awestruck at her surroundings and was close by. 

I turned my head back and let out a small chuckle. “You’re the first person to look around like that since I’ve been here.” I explained, reaching the door to the women’s locker area. Miss Royce looked up at me and shook her head with a laugh.

“Where I was in… Brighton,” she began, looking around the corridor. “It was worse. This is quite pleasant compared.” 

Clearing my throat, I looked up at the door which had one big window that was covered by a white shade. “This is the changing area, Miss Royce. There are fresh uniforms inside and when you are done, you can come up to the front desk and I will show you around.” 

————————————————————————————————————

The elementary school classroom was lit by the sun which was only barely peaking between the tall buildings of the Manhattan grid. Horns blared on the streets outside, people yelled profanities at people who had gotten in their way and children talked loudly among one another and their parents as their school day came to a close. I rustled through my desk, the old oak chipping on the corners of some of the drawers which held an abundance of office supplies and student files. Taking out a red pen and a neon pink highlighter, I picked out a file from the middle of the set and closed the drawers. 

Billy Marshall. A six year old boy with the brightest blue eyes and the cutest little smile; he was one of my favorite students. A faint knock came at the door and a tall, blonde woman walked in with Billy by her side. She dressed in a long, beige maxi-dress with black flats and a black bag. They looked identical and you could tell she was his mother. 

I stood up from my desk and went around the side, extending my hand for a shake. “You must be Jed Marshall. Billy speaks so highly of you.” I beamed, taking her hand in mine for a shake.

Jed nodded, a faint smile crossing her pale skin as she looked down at Billy. “I’d hope he talks so highly. You’re Miss Royce, yes? Billy says you’re his favorite teacher.” Jed explained, running her hand through her sons hair before looking back at me. 

“Your favorite, huh?” I said with a gasp, a cute giggle coming from the boy. “I’m honored, Billy. But yes, I’m Miss Royce.” I introduced myself and leaned against the front of my desk. “I hope it’s not an inconvenience to ask you to come for the meeting. I know most parents have to take off work for them.” 

Jed shook her head and waved an arm dismissively. “It’s not a problem at all. I… work from home.” She explained. “I hope everything is okay though, he says he doesn’t have a problem with school, hands in all his assignments on time…” 

“Oh, he does!” I began, reaching for his folder. “Hand in his assignments I mean.” I confirmed, her shoulders relaxing. “No, I actually called you here to talk about his progress. He’s on a much higher level than all the other students, he’s much more active and his work is exquisite.” I flipped through his folder before handing it over to his mother. “I called you here to wonder if you were considering enrolling him in gifted programs in the future. I feel like he’d be challenged but he’d definitely excel.” 

Jed took her time flipping through his file, making sure she looked at every test score, his progress reports and his report card grades. With a sigh, she looked up at me. “When would I need to enroll him? Where do I do that?” She inquired. 

I walked around my desk and opened the top drawer, taking out a pamphlet that was printed on yellow cardstock. I handed it to Jed who looked through it. “Gifted programs don’t normally start until the student is in around third grade. However,” I began. “I do a gifted program on Saturday’s for first and second grade families who are interested in the investment. The classes would be here,” I explained, Jed nodding along. “About four hours every Saturday morning during the school year. No summer classes are required as these are just practice classes, really.” 

Jed looked over at Billy who was listening to the conversation quietly. He straightened up in his desk and looked at his mother. “Can I do it, Mama?” He asked, his blue eyes getting wide with excitement. She smiled and looked between her son and myself. 

“How much would the classes be?” She questioned, closing the file and handing it back to me. 

“Because Billy will be going into second grade in the coming year…” I trailed off, picking up the pamphlet that Jed had put down on one of the desks. “The cost would be five hundred a month. Which is definitely hefty, and if he gets into a gifted program for third, the price would be higher tuition…” 

Jed nodded and looked down at Billy. “Well, we do have the summer to think about it, right?” She questioned, looking back at me.

I placed the file down on my desk and nodded. “There’s only one month left of school and I do need to put all of the positions in by the last day, so you have a month to discuss it and see. I’ll hold a space for him anyways just incase.” I smiled, reassuring the woman. 

After Jed and Billy left, the meeting going incredibly well, I decided to clean my classroom for a few minutes. The kids leave their desks such a mess and there are so many germs from the kids allergies. I began cleaning the tops of the wooden desks with a cleaning wipe and went through half the desktops when my phone on my desk began to ring. Sucking my teeth, I walked over and picked up the phone, looking at the caller ID. It was work… the other work. 

I hit the answer call button and held the phone to my ear. “13.” 

“We have information on that drug boss from a few weeks ago.” The man on the other line began. “We can stake-out tonight with 54. Are you in?” 

Hesitating, I looked around the room. “Send me the information. I’m in.”

———————————————————————————

Another week had passed and I’d still heard nothing from Jed. Two weeks after an argument seemed a little excessive. The argument wasn’t even that serious, from my overall opinion. She wanted to stay in New York with Billy but I told her she could move out here, he could go to school here and we could be closer and spend more time than once every few months. Jed had mentioned that Billy had gotten into a gifted students program that he was very excited about and I did my best to reassure her that those were offered here too and he would most likely have no issue getting accepted to one. She argued and we haven’t spoken since. Her voicemail box was full as I’d been leaving messages periodically throughout the days after. 

The night was quiet in the Draycott as I looked down at my phone again through the night shift; tired eyes of visitors and the night staff passing by as I attempted to busy myself with paperwork and emails. My phone in the corner of the desk buzzed and I frantically reached, noticing the alert was just for a text from Oliver. Sighing, I shook my head and went back to my paperwork. 

“Something troubling you, boss?” Miss Royce approached, a feather duster in her hand. Her schedule at some point said she’d needed to dust the lobby for the morning visitors. 

“Miss Royce, how many times must I ask you to call me Jonathan?” I smiled, shuffling my papers together and separating them again to place in appropriate folders. 

Miss Royce smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. “And how many times must I ask you to call me Alexa?” She raised her brow and tilted her head to the side. “Or Lex, either one really.” 

I nodded and placed some papers in the manilla folder before taking out another empty one from the package. “Lex it is.” She confirmed her approval with a wide smile and uncrossed her arms, dusting around the desk ask I continued to shuffle papers. Lex had become quite a popular worker with the night shift. She showed thorough enjoyment with the smallest tasks and took every opportunity in stride. She’d exceeded Oliver and I’s expectations greatly.

“So…” Lex began, taking me out of my trance. “I saw you all flabbergasted and frantic over here for a hot second. Is everything alright?” She wondered, placing her duster on the desk and looking over, her small heel helping her to look over by a few inches. 

I closed the folder and shifted my eyes to my phone and then up to meet hers. “I’m quite fine, Lex. I guess I’m just a little tired.” I lied, putting on a convincing smile. Lex looked up at me, her brown eyes showing me that she wasn’t the least bit convinced. “And, well,” sighing, I ran my hand through my hair. “I haven’t heard from my girlfriend in two weeks. We got into this argument and I didn’t really think it was so bad, but I guess on her end, maybe it was.”  
Her eyes shifted down, her hands fiddling with the duster she’d placed in front of her on the desk. “I’m so sorry, Jonathan.” She sounded sincere and looked up at me, her eyes showing her emotions. 

Clearing my throat, I shrugged a shoulder. “I was told to give her some space by Oliver. I’m sure it’ll all be fine in a few days.” 

Lex studied my face and nodded. “Well listen, why don’t you go make yourself a cup of tea to relax. I don’t mind watching the desk.” She offered, standing up straighter. There was that go-getter personality. Still, I didn’t know if I should leave the desk to a newcomer. 

“I don’t know…” I hesitated, moving things around on the desk to show there was a lot going on. “It’s quite crazy back here and making a cup of tea tak-“

“It takes about five minutes.” Lex interrupted, walking around to my side of the desk. “Go, I got this. I can man the fort for a few until you get back.” She reassured, but when I still hesitated, she sighed. “I won’t touch anything. If I need to answer a call, I click the blinking button first. If anyone needs room service, I click the nine and answer their notice.” I looked at her, astonished that she paid attention that closely. She raised her brow at me and I took my cell phone and placed it in my pocket. 

Turning to leave the desk area, I turned back quickly to look at her. “I… how did you know to do all of that?” I pondered, confusion clearly on my face. 

Lex quickly answered, a proud smile on her lips. “I have a photographic memory, Jonathan. Now go make that tea!” She demanded, turning towards the desk and grabbing her duster to throughly clean the area. 

With a shake of my head and a hushed chuckle, I turned and went to my office to make myself the drink. I scrolled through my phone while I waited for the one-cup kettle to heat the water so I could steep the honey and ginger flavored black tea leaves. Stumbling upon photos of Jed, I looked at the time and decided to try to call again as she’d most likely be awake. The phone rang while the water dripped into the white mug. Getting the voicemail again, I cancelled the call and placed my phone back into my pocket before grabbing the cup. I steeped the tea as I walked back to the desk where I heard faint voices. One of them sounded like Lex, and the other like another woman. 

“Yes ma’am, once my manager comes back, I’m certain we can accommodate you somehow.” I heard Lex say to the visitor. “I’m certain he’ll understand that flights get delayed.” When I turned the corner, I stopped quickly when I saw the woman’s face. She looked over at me and blinked, her eyes always talking to me louder than her words. She looked troubled. 

I walked to the desk and placed my tea down, looking at her. “How can I help you Ms…?”

“Limpet.” Angela stated. “Angelina Limpet. And I’d very much like a room.” 

——————————————————————————————————

The stake-out spot was a twenty story building near one of the villages in Manhattan, the roof darkened from the shade of a skyscraper one block away. Our target was a residency building across the street which was only about fifteen stories high. We were looking towards the top apartments for any signs of a drug cartel we had been investigating for weeks. Bryan Corrado and David Auteri, Agents 54 and 28 respectively, were my partners on the investigation and were two of the top assassins in the CIA’s system, myself being the other. 

I sat over the ledge of the building with my feet dangling, drinking a steaming cup of coffee as the two men arrived behind me. They kept their guns with them at all times in something I liked to call compensation. I had a pistol in my holder and it was all I needed; I rarely missed my shot. Auteri, the more tolerable of the two came up on my right whereas Corrado, the wise-ass, came up on my left. 

“What we got, Alex?” Corrado questioned, the sounds of his gun in his hand clicking by my ear. 

I smirked, knowing I could have fun with this. “Well, today on The Price Is Right, we have two complete morons who sent me on a wild goose chase.” I began, quickly going on before they could blabber and cut me off. “Behind door number one we have the bleach blonde with the pretty blue eyes who likes to put kohl around his eyes to make him seem dark and mysterious, It’s David Auteri!” I beamed. “And behind door number two, we have tall, tan and not so handsome with that pitiful buzzcut, it’s Bryan Corrado!” I took a sip of my coffee while practically hearing the steam come from Bryan’s mouth. 

“Listen, you little bitch.” He began, turning his body towards me. “If it wasn’t for you being a good shot, you wouldn’t even be here so mind that fucking mouth.” 

“And if it wasn’t for me,” I retorted. “You wouldn’t have a job on this squad, you’d be a pitiful cop on the streets of D.C.” I rotated my legs inwards and jumped down from the ledge to land on the roof. “There’s no signs of a bust. You sent me on a wild fucking chase for someone who is probably halfway to fucking Brazil with the goods.” I glared up at him, his height over a foot taller than mine. “You played yourself. And this team. Good job.” 

Auteri came and stood between us, always being the level headed of the two. “Now listen,” he sighed, trying to calm us down. “It’s a stake-out, right? Meaning we have to be here all night. Something could happen, so let’s just mind that, okay? The boss wants the goods.” Auteri glared towards Corrado and then down at me. “Put the wise-cracks aside for one night, please?” He asked and I rolled my eyes. 

I walked back to the ledge and leaned my head on my hand. Only a handful of lights were on in the building and none on the top floor. I shifted my glasses from my head down to my eyes and clicked a small button on the side to magnify my surroundings. The mainframe popped on and gave facial recognition of anyone in the building. An old man on the fifth floor was watching re-runs of M*A*S*H*, a young couple was fucking on the eighth floor and a woman was yelling on the phone on the tenth. My attention went to the conversation and I heightened the earpiece attached to my glasses. 

“Jonathan, it’s not that easy!” She began yelling again. The voice was Jed’s. She sounded exasperated and annoyed. “No! Billy got accepted to this gifted program. I can’t pull him away from here to live in a country where there’s nothing but problems and my name all over shit!” Why was Billy being brought up? I leaned forward and focused on the conversation. Jed walked around her apartment with the curtains open and I could see her clearly. She wore a silky yellow nightgown and her hair was unkept. “Jonathan, I really can’t deal with this right now. Billy needs to stay here and so do I. That’s my word.” She sat by the window in a lounge chair and put her head back. “No buts. We’ll talk when we’re more level-headed about this but my mind won’t change. Goodnight.” I heard the phone click in my speaker and turned it down. 

I had no idea Jed was even seeing anyone. Billy never mentioned anyone in his assignments or his writings. Bryan and David were talking amongst themselves while I had listened in on Jed’s call. She was still in her chair, her hands covering her face for her to calm down and breathe. She seemed like a beacon of radiance on Friday afternoon during our meeting but the early Saturday morning was a whole different woman. 

“What I wouldn’t give…” Bryan’s voice cut me out of my trance. I lifted my glasses and looked at him. “That woman on the tenth floor?” He looked at David, pointing at the window with the tip of his gun. “Roper’s old flame.”

I glared and sucked my teeth. “Bryan. The mission isn’t the woman. Focus on the top floor and the roof please?” I sighed, not wanting to hear about my student’s mother and the shitty things I knew would come from Corrado. 

Bryan began to talk in hushed whispers to David, thinking I couldn’t hear. “Roper said she was good in bed. Really one of the only reasons he kept her around.” He mentioned, David not really speaking back. “He probably would have killed her with all the information she had on him, but he got caught in Cairo years ago. Hasn’t been heard from since.” 

“And no one came for the woman? He still has followers, doesn’t he?” David questioned, his whisper much lower. 

“Yeah but no one can find her.” Bryan shook his head. “Shame though. One night with me and she’d forget Roper in a heartbeat, know what I mean?” He let out of a laugh and I stood up. 

I shifted my glasses down again and put them on a normal setting, the mainframe turning off. “Well, guys.” I began. “It’s been fun, but I’m going to stake-out somewhere else.” 

“Alex, come on.” David sighed. “You know how Bryan is, just don’t listen to him.” 

I shook my head reassuringly. “Oh, no, it has nothing to do with him. It’s just…” I thought quickly. “While you two dicks were talking disgusting about a woman, I saw movement in the top floor windows. Meaning they have the lights off. I’m going to get a better vantage point.” I lied and walked towards the fire escape I came up on. 

“Oh?” Bryan raised his brow. “And where do we go?” 

I turned and glared at him. “You’re such a ‘great assassin,’ Bryan.” I put my hands up to form air quotes around my words. “Figure it out. I’ll be on the other side.” I lied and went down the twenty levels of fire escapes before jumping down into the alley below. I got into my car and sat down, looking on my phone for any information about Roper. Who was he? I went to the search app on my phone and typed the word in, some three year old news articles popping up. 

Richard Roper was a high grade weapons dealer and was funding war communities with new technology. He worked behind a fake company which was called Tradepass and used the farming equipment as a ruse to the eye and sold the weapons underneath. The agent who caught him was a woman from London named Angela Burr. Searching her, I was directed to a number for her offices in London. I hit call and waited as the phone rang agonizingly long before a woman picked up. 

"Burr." She simply said, her accent strong. 

“Uh, yes,” I began. “Hi, this is Alexandra Royce, I’m from New York.” I sighed, realizing I was never good with reconnoissance phone calls. There were always Auteri’s thing. “I was wondering if you had any information on Richard Roper?” 

The other end was silent for a few moments before the woman spoke again. “Why would you want information on that?” 

I knew the question was coming so I chose to be honest. 

“Ma’am,” I started. “I’m a member of the CIA’s secret assassins. My two partners spoke tonight of Richard Roper while we were investigating a drug bust. The building in question houses a woman, Jed Marshall." I explained, hesitating before I went on. "If there’s anything I should know…” 

“Watch Jed.” Angela demanded. “I’ll be in touch within the week. E-mail me any information on your partners. They can no longer be trusted. I have your number, I will text you on my personal cell phone.” She went on. She spoke quickly and sounded frightened but strong. “Keep an eye on Jed Marshall. If your partners are working for Roper, she is not safe.”

—————————————————————————————————

Angela Burr’s presence in the Draycott was not something I took lightly. The last time we spoke, she was finalizing my clean slate from the Roper incident and now she’s popped up again? I knew Lex didn’t mean any harm; she doesn’t know Angela or our connection, but the situation still threw me off. Between Angela being around and Jed not answering, it was as if things were unfolding. I needed to get a moment with Angela as soon as possible. 

Lex returned through the lobby after showing Angela to her room; a small, one bed space on the second floor of the hotel. She’d noticed my reaction towards Angela and could tell something was wrong. Coming around the desk behind me, she reached over and grabbed her duster, beginning to walk away but stayed close enough that I’d know she could hear me.

“Did Ms. Limpet get to her room nicely?” I asked, my eyes remaining on my computer screen as I typed. Lex continued her dusting from before and focused on a vase in the corner. 

“I don’t know,” she began, an edge in her voice. “Why don’t you ask her? You seem to know her.” 

I turned from my screen and looked at her, my eyebrow raised. “I’m sorry? What makes you have that assumption?” I questioned, my elbow resting on my leg. 

Lex turned her head towards me and shrugged a shoulder. “When you saw her, it was like you’d seen a ghost.” She dusted around the vase and moved towards the side tables by the steps to go upstairs to the rooms. "I can only make the assumption that you know her. How?” I noticed her head tilt away from me. “I do not know.”  
Looking down at my hands, I sighed and stood up from my chair. I grabbed my phone and placed it in my pocket before walking past Lex and up the staircase of the Draycott to the second floor. If anyone knew anything about the craziness that was going on, it would be Angela. Approaching her door, I gave a quick knock and waited, counting to ten in my head before knocking again. Hearing shuffling on the other side, I stood tall when Angela opened the door. 

“I was getting ready to sleep…” Angela began, holding her robe close to her. I looked down at her, the bags under my eyes apparent and she stood up straighter. “Well, don’t you look like shit.”

I sighed and shifted my eyes from her to the floor and back. “What are you doing here, Angela? You live ten minutes away, you come here with our old codename…” I began but she quickly held up her hand. 

“Pine, you look like crap. We’ll talk tomorrow. Five o’clock. Your office. Sound okay?” She sighed, hugging her arms tight to her. “Go home. Get some sleep.” Angela gave a smile and closed the door, leaving me there to think. 

After a while, I walked back down the steps and into the lobby where Lex was behind the desk again taking a call. She was typing on the computer and looked up at me when I walked by her. I stood behind her with my hands in my pockets, observing what she was doing. The reservations files were opened and she had put in a new couple in the honeymoon suite and began accepting payment information. The feat was impressive and she worked the spreadsheets wonderfully. 

When she hung up, she typed in the remaining information and turned the seat around to look up at me. Giving a light smile, Lex hopped off the chair and took her duster to go dust the other side of the lobby in silence. The remainder of the night was met with silence, occasional typing and the light clicking of Lex’s heels on the marble floors of the Draycott’s lobby. 

As the sun began to shine through the lobby windows, Oliver walked in with a newspaper in one hand and a tray with two cups in the other. He plucked one out of the holder and held it out to me. Smiling, I took the cup, which always contained a steaming hot cup of English Breakfast style tea. Oliver went around the desk to his office and began to get ready for his takeover of the Draycott in an hour. 

Lex walked by the desk, placing the duster in the drawer where she’d found it. “If that’d be all, I’m going to clock out, Mister Pine.” She began, wiping her hands down the apron she wore over her uniform skirt. 

“Lex…” I sighed, standing up. She shook her head and stepped back. 

“It’d be best if while Mister Hudson was around, we’d kept it professional, sir.” Lex smiled slightly and turned to walk down the workers corridor to the locker rooms below. 

I’d talk to her during the next shift. For now, all that was on my mind was telling Oliver of our new arrangements and the payments. And in the back of my mind, the meeting I’d have later with Angela, hoping nothing would be negative. 

————————————————————————————————

The busy morning commute on the New York Subways had made me late yet again. With all the construction and people being held back due to delays by almost an hour, it’s a shock I was only about ten minutes late for work. The kids would no doubt be going off the wall in the classroom and all the cleaning I had done on Friday after my meeting would have been completely futile. I clicked my staff ID in at the door and ran up the steps two at a time to get to the second floor classroom; the fun-filled screams of first graders already could be heard down the hall. 

Smoothing down my hair when I approached, I opened the door and the kids turned and went silent. “Exactly, you all know better.” I huffed, closing the door behind me and walked to my desk. “Take out a book to read or unfinished work while I take attendance please.” 

The kids rustled through their desks and all took out their reading books. Some kids were on second grade level books, and some were still on their first grade readers. Many kids towards the back of the room took out their folders to finish worksheets from the week before. I clicked on my computer and began looking around the room for the children in alphabetical order. Tyler Adrian was present, as was Cassie Culver and Harry Jamiens. I went through and got to Billy’s name and looked at his seat. 

“Class, was Billy in line this morning?” I called out, looking at the kids. Most of them shook their heads knowing morning time was silent time. Jed normally walked him to school, so I knew I couldn’t ask the kids who came on the school bus, but still, they were all here. 

Billy had perfect attendance and it was odd for him to not be here or for the office to not notify me if Jed had called to say he was going to be out of school. I sent through the attendance list and went about the day, seeing how the week would go.   
The days through the week were all the same, although I’d made sure I was on time to work. I saw every student who’d walked in. I’d seen parents. I’d listened to concerns all week about the coming school year, but no sign of Jed or Billy any weekday morning. The argument I’d overheard during the stake-out made it very clear that Jed wasn’t too keen on leaving. The school called her residence every day to inform Jed that Billy had been missing, but the secretaries all told me they’d gone to voicemail. 

On Friday afternoon, I decided to heed Angela Burr’s warning from the week before and check in on Jed to make sure everything was alright. I packed my things and headed over to her side of the village. The street was as quiet during the day as it was in the confines of the night, the fifteen story building telling so many stories even when you couldn’t see if the lights in the windows were on. I walked through the glass doors and looked on the mailboxes for Jed’s apartment. Floor ten, door E. Someone who was coming from the building allowed me in and I gave him a small smile in a sign of thanks and went to the elevators.   
The tenth floor hallway was quiet and bland like the hall downstairs. I chipping eggshell colored paint with brown wooden panelling covered the walls, and the doors, which each had a peephole and a golden letter were all a dark, dull blue. Jed seemed like a glamorous woman when I’d met her, and to see a hallway look this bad, I could only hope her apartment didn’t. 

As I approached door E, I noticed a growing, rotten smell. I knocked on the door once, hoping Jed would be home. I waited a few moments before knocking again and was still met with nothing. An older woman came out of door G and looked my way as she began to walk down the hallway. 

“Excuse me?” I asked as she walked by. She turned, her glasses sliding down the brim of her nose. “I’m so sorry, but do you know the woman who lives here? I was supposed to meet with her?” 

“Oh, Jed darling?” The woman asked and I nodded. “I haven’t seen her in days, although that smell started popping up two days ago.” The woman shrugged, looking towards the door. “She’s such a lovely cook. She brings me a pasta every Saturday night. I don’t know where she’s been, but I haven’t seen her. I’m sorry.” She apologized.

“It’s quite alright, thank you though.” I responded and waited for the woman to enter the elevator. I heard the ding of the doors closing and looked back towards the door. 

When I was alone, I went through my bag and took out anything I could find that would potentially pick a lock. I found a few hair pins in my bag and began trying with those. I put my glasses on and pressed the button to start up the mainframe. I could see what I was doing this way and began picking at the lock. When I’d finally gotten it open, I took my glasses off and opened the door. 

The apartment was quiet but it looked like a tornado had hit it. Food was spoiling on the counter, but that wasn’t explaining the strong, rotten smell. I walked around the apartment, going through the living room first. I noticed a mirror had broken and there were some shards on the floor. This was without a doubt going to be a crime scene. I took out my cell phone and called headquarters to request backup, but mentioned I did not want Corrado or Auteri here. The agent complied and said a squad car would be there in ten minutes. 

Before continuing through the house, I took my pistol out of my bag and held it up, starting in the first room by the living room; a young boys room. Billy’s room. It didn’t seem like there was a struggle but the bed was still unmade and there were some clothes on the floor. Potentially typical for a six-year-old boy. I walked out and continued into the bathroom which didn’t show any anomalies. 

I noticed the smell getting stronger by the end of the hall, where a door was closed. The only thought was this was Jed’s room, and I began to mentally prepare myself for what was behind the door. I kept my gun up and walked forward, using the sleeve of my shirt to open the bedroom door. 

——————————————————————————————

“What are you doing here?” Oliver glanced over from his computer screen as I walked in. I gave him a welcoming smile when I approached the desk, a cup of tea in my hand and my casual attire. 

Setting the cup down, I looked over to see what he was working on. “I have a meeting with a visitor in about five minutes. She's an old friend of mine.” I began, Oliver’s brow immediately rising as he turned his full attention to me. “She’s married and has a baby, Oliver.” He huffed and went back to his computer. 

There was a silence before he spoke again. "You know I'm only teasing. I love the way you speak of Jed." I laughed and gave a nod, glancing at my phone as it vibrated in my pocket. “Still nothing, eh?” He hesitated. I looked at the text from Angela that she was coming down now from her room.

Shaking my head, I placed the phone back and looked over at Oliver. “No, nothing.” I sighed, taking a sip of my tea. “I just don’t know.” I breathed, walking over to the side of the desk as I saw Angela in my vision.   
When she approached, Oliver bid me a good luck and continued to his work while I directed Angela to my office. She was quiet and stern, just as I’d remembered her all that time ago during Richard Roper’s case. A little sassy here or there, but always stern and focused on what was at the end of the tunnel. Whatever she wanted to speak about, I had no doubts it’d pertain to the case. Was Roper alive in Cairo? Were my fingerprints still everywhere even though she cleared my files as an assist of duty? I opened my office door for her and closed it behind us, moving a chair so she could sit in front of my desk. I pushed the chair in for her when she sat down and walked around the desk, sitting in my normal chair. She gave a weak smile and sighed. 

“So,” I began. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Angela Limpet?” I placed my cup down and took my phone out of my pocket, placing it on the desk. 

Angela smiled and shook her head. “I didn’t see you around. I figured if you saw the name, you’d know I was there. I put it on the paperwork so I needed to go on with it.” She explained, placing her bag on the floor next to her seat. 

I crossed my arms and let the sides of my mouth tug up. “It’s our code.” I cleared my throat. “What is on with the Roper case? It has to be a reason you’re here.” 

Her lightheartedness went down and her eyes shifted. “Actually,” she hesitated. “I’d wondered when you last heard from Jed.” My head shot up and I let my eyes glance to my phone before darting back to her. 

“Where is she?” I mumbled, watching Angela as she looked down at her phone, texting something out. “Angela.” I spoke louder, noticing her eyes shift up to me and then back down, closing her phone before she lifted her head. 

There was a knock at the door and before I could answer, a woman walked in and closed the door behind her. She wore a black hoodie and long black pants with heels. When the woman took her hood off, it revealed the frizzy, bushy hair I knew so well during the night shifts. Lex walked over, a large envelope under her arm which she gave to Angela and crossed her arms as she stood behind Angela’s chair. 

I looked up at Lex who looked down, biting on her lip. “Jed Marshall has been dead for two and a half weeks.” She declared, lifting her eyes to look at me. “And her son is missing.”

——————————————————————————————

The crime scene was unlike anything I’d ever seen. As an assassin, you were expected to be able to handle high grade situations. It took detective and spy work to be on the top of your game and you needed to know every system possible to get your best shot. In my eight years of being with the CIA, I’d never seen a crime scene like this. 

The bed was unmade, but Jed wasn’t in it. Her body was hog-tied up by four ropes and hung from a hook that was already in the ceiling. Her arms were behind her back and the bruises were still dark. Each leg was attached to a rope and her stomach and chest was attached to the others. There was a pool of blood on the floor beneath her chest. Bending down, I looked and saw her throat had been cut and she had a large gash on her forehead above her left eye. Shaking my head, I pressed a small button on my glasses to take photos of the crime scene for Angela and waited for the backup car to arrive. 

I had no doubt in my mind that this was Corrado. His comments about Jed at the stake-out were enough evidence to make him a suspect. There was extremely high potential that rape was involved based off the way this entire crime scene looked. If I could attach him to any of this, I could get him put away for a long time. I needed to investigate if Auteri was involved. I needed answers on where Billy was. He’d been missing for a week from school. I heard the team come down the hallway and enter the house. I walked out of the bedroom and met up with the detectives, explaining the situation. 

“And who are you?” One of the detectives asked. She was tall and built and could definitely take on most of the agents by me.

“Royce, I’m with the CIA.” I answered, motioning towards Billy’s room. “My cover is a school teacher. The kid was my student.” The detective nodded and called for forensics and more backup to arrive at the location. I thanked her and she allowed me to leave when more teams came in. 

I sat in my car and took out my phone to look at the photos I’d taken on my glasses. I needed to print them at home and send them to Angela, but I’d make sure to call her first. As I went to turn my car on, my phone began to ring. Looking at the ID, I saw that it was my boss, Director Lynch. 

Clearing my throat, I answered the call. “Hello?” I answered, the man on the other end sighing. 

“13, what were you thinking?” He questioned, an annoyance in his voice. 

I shook my head and squinted at the phone. “I beg your pardon? I don’t know what you’re talking about?” I wondered. 

“28 and 54 informed me that you went awol on a missioned stake-out and sent them to an invalid address. They provided me with a list of information that I can’t ignore.” Lynch explained. “I’m sorry, 13, I need to let you go.”

“What?!” I yelled, my anger immediately growing. “I’ve been with you for almost nine years, what the fuck do you mean you need to let me go! I’m the best you have.” My anger was growing, knowing that Corrado had definitely had a hand in this as well. He’d gotten me fired to clear his tracks, but Auteri too? 

“Corrado and Auteri caught the drug bust with millions of dollars. You were supposed to be there, and you weren’t. The situation was major, shots were fired… you did something stupid, Royce.” He spoke. Director Lynch was normally a very fair man. He treated me equal to everyone despite me being younger than most of the assassins; I was that good. He knew he was losing his best shot, a big blow to the division. 

“Lynch, come on.” I sighed, hitting my head against the seat of the car. “You know I would have only went awol on a mission for a good damn reason. You know me.” I pleaded. “You chose me. You gave me your fucking number.” 

He paused and I heard an audible sigh on the other end. “I know, Alexandra. But my word stands.” He announced. “I’m sorry. Your files will remain with us. Your cover will remain safe. You can stay in New York as a teacher or choose other work. We won’t take that from you. But as for your positions with the CIA, you’re fired.” The click of him hanging up was like the loudest bullet I would have ever shot. 

I lifted my head and looked up at Jed’s building through the sunroof of my car. Corrado knew what he was doing. Auteri was an accomplice. They raped and killed Jed. They kidnapped Billy. I adjusted my shirt and turned on the car, turning the air on and letting the car cool off. I picked up my phone and scrolled to Angela Burr in my contacts, waiting for her to pick up on the other end.   
“Hello?” I head the woman mumble on the other end. I hadn’t realized it was after midnight in England. 

“Burr, it’s Royce, from New York.” I stated. Before she could even speak, I continued. “Jed Marshall is dead. Billy Marshall is missing. I’ll be in England in the morning.” 

——————————————————————————————————

The statement couldn’t be correct. I couldn’t believe her. I couldn’t believe Angela. I stood up and took my phone in my hands, my fingers shaking as I tried to call Jed again. The phone rung, but stated her voicemail box was full. I tried again and mumbled to myself before I felt a hand on my arm. I turned quickly and looked down at Lex who looked up at me, her eyes glassy and wide. She wore her glasses today, which only magnified her eyes. 

“Jonathan, listen,” she began, taking the phone slowly from me and placing it back on my desk. Angela had stood up behind her. “My name is Alexandra Royce. I was a member of the CIA back in New York.” She explained, and it was only then that I realized her accent was different. She spoke with a thick, New York accent and no longer sounded like she was from any part of England. “I was assigned to a case around Jed’s building. My partners took interest in her, and I believe they are the prime suspects. They spoke of Richard Roper.” She went on, helping me sit down in my chair. She crouched down and looked up at me. “I contacted Angela who helped me come here. Right now,” she shifted her eyes. “Billy could be anywhere. We need to find him.” 

I let the silence sit for a few minutes as Lex walked back over to Angela who had sat back down. She opened the envelope and looked through the file. There were photos of the crime scene but I didn’t want to see them. I didn’t want to see Jed in any type of situation other than one where she was alive. 

“If you were only assigned to a mission around Jed,” I thought aloud. “How did you know who she was?”

Lex turned her head towards me and nodded, seeming as if she expected the question. “My cover was an elementary school teacher.” She stated. “Billy was my student. Probably my favorite, the boy was so smart. He had perfect attendance, and the Monday after my mission over that weekend…” She shook her head and looked down at the files and the pictures. “I knew something was up. And I know it was my partners. They got me fired after I discovered the crime scene. It was like they wanted me to know about it.” 

The silence in the room returned as I took some of the papers from the files. Lex was thorough in her descriptions and Angela was supporting the case knowing that Roper’s name was now linked. My eye caught one of the pictures of Jed and I placed my hands over my eyes, rubbing them to get the image out. Looking up, I noticed Lex was staring at me, a sense of worry in her eyes. 

“I, uh…” I began, not knowing what to say or what to do. I didn’t know where I went from here. I was sad but angry. 

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Jonathan.” Angela stated, holding out her hands over my desk. I took her hands with one of mine and she gave them a tight squeeze. “We’re going to figure all of this out. They won’t know what hit them.”

“And we’re going to find Billy.” Lex stated, nodding her head. “We’re all going to help.”

“And when we find whoever killed Jed,” I began, picking up the most graphic picture and looking at it before turning it to Angela and Lex. “I’m going to kill them myself.”


End file.
